


Log Date - Whatever!

by Remington



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Jasper Redemption, Peridot Redemption, traumatic pasts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-03
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-07-11 22:26:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7072969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Remington/pseuds/Remington
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Great and Lovable Peridot is, of course, great and lovable - but what happened before her arrival on Earth? And what exactly was her relationship to the hulking warrior Jasper, before everything turned to wreckage and her world was flipped upside down? Who was she before? And, after she finishes reminiscing on her past . . . is she ready to face Jasper as a new, awakened (and much smaller) gem?</p>
<p>A Jaspidot fanfiction.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Before Everything

“Please state your facet and cut.”

“Peridot, cut 5XG , facet 2F5L.”

“Which authority?”

“Yellow.”

“I see.”

This was the big day. A day of unusual proportions, a day whose size rivaled that of the most gargantuan quartz. This day, so un-paralleled in its massive width and luster, proved itself far more worthy in terms of might than all the other days, simply because of its still swelling potential.

This was a big fucking day.

Peridot, with her arms folded militantly behind her back, raised her chin high and neutralized any trace of disgusting trepidation or apprehension. After all, emotions like that – useless things that only cluttered up a logical thought process like dust to a warp pad – were a liability to the Diamond authority, especially her Diamond. Oh, Yellow Diamond, that absolute goddess of concentration and efficiency, the true harbinger of merciless intelligence and cunning wherewithal-

Ahem.

Back to the point.

This day – this big, big day- was the day she would do it. She would finally prove her worth to Yellow Diamond as an agent of the authority, no longer a nobody, someone who could stand out amongst all the other triangular faces of other Peridots. After all, information missions were hardly what they seemed; she even needed an escort in order to complete it! If Yellow Diamond didn’t think her capable and talented, if she didn’t think her at least somewhat useful to her color namesake, then Peridot wouldn’t have even been assigned.

This was her chance.

The young gem waited patiently for the receptionist (a lower level Pearl, blue, it seemed), eyes flicking around the check-in room. There were several thousand just on this base alone, of course, and Peridot had to admit that this was not one of the finer points of Homeworld organization. Desk after desk after desk lined horizontally down the room, with Pearl after Pearl speaking to lines of other gems. Peridot tapped her fingers nervously behind her back, the floating digits swirling in and out with her anxiety.

“Ah, yes . . . “ the blue Pearl said at last, her soft but calm tone as expected of her color, “You’re being assigned an escort for the cluster check-up, correct? A Jasper?”

“Affirmative,” Peridot replied, nodding.

“I see . . . “ that airy tone of hers was really starting to piss Peridot off, but she held her tongue, squaring her shoulders and raising her chin, “Yes . . . she should be waiting for you in militant port C, Yellow sector. Please take this ticket.”

A holographic ticket emerged from the small port on the side of the desk, which Peridot retrieved with two floating digits. The Pearl motioned for her to exit to the right, and so she did with a nod, her chest growing tighter with every passing second. Her feet felt like dead weight, and she had a feeling it wasn’t just because of the limb enhancers. Her mouth felt oddly dry, and that wasn’t just because gems were incapable of producing biological decomposition product (known as “Saliva”, in less formal terms). She had no reason whatsoever to be nervous, after all, this was her big shot! Her chance!

One long trek through the imposing halls of militant port C, Yellow sector later, Peridot found herself standing in front of suite D. That’s what her ticket had assigned, anyways. The doors, normally a plain sight of vectors and harsh shapes, were somehow . . . rounded, to her now, in a way that made her feel a sense of vertigo she hadn’t previously seen. They loomed over her, tall, dark, and if Peridot listened, she swore she heard whispers. But what did those whispers say?

Oh, calm down, Peridot. This is just pre-mission fright. That’s for rookies.

One breath in through her nose, another out through her mouth. Her floating fingers reached up to press to the door, then halted, and joined with her other arm to form the Yellow Diamond salute.  
She closed her eyes underneath her glasses. “Please have hope in me, my diamond,” Peridot whispered, softly, before looking back up with astounding resoluteness.

Here went nothing.

\------------------------------------ 

Jasper checked the time, mounted to her eye level on the yellow wall. Her thick lips curled into a sneer, exposing wicked fangs that she would’ve been proud to see again, had she not been so annoyed by the carelessness of her “navigator”.

This was just plain ridiculous. Seven minutes late – what was taking that gem so damn long? She was the one with a reputation for nonpunctuality, and even she was here earlier. Oh, when she saw that smug little Peridot face . . . 

She had to take a breath and refrain from cracking her knuckles – and the other gem’s forehead. She wasn’t a fighter on this mission – she was a protector. A protector! Who assigned a Jasper as a protector? This wasn’t her job; she was meant for pulverizing, savoring the art of battle, relishing the thrill of battle and staking her enemy’s gem on the edge of her helmet. That was her job, not acting as a babysitter for some weak little Peridot who probably couldn’t even hold her own in an arm wrestle, let alone a fight.

Her ears perked up at whispering from the other side of the door. One thick brow cocked – was that the Peridot? 

Was the Peridot praying?

To Yellow Diamond?

Jasper held in a snicker, seeing as that would be unfit behavior for an imposing warrior. Instead, she smirked behind her collar, tightening her lips. God, she knew Peridots were a flighty, easily frightened bunch, but she didn’t think they’d resort to religious refuge just to get over a few pre-mission nerves. This was almost, almost hilarious, and if she wasn’t so absolutely annoyed, she might’ve cackled.

The doors opened soon after, and what might’ve been the tiniest gem besides a Ruby entered soonafter. Jasper actually blinked in shock, albeit for only a second. Was this her? She was tiny! Jasper was, briefly, tempted to pick her up from those limb enhancers and see just how small she really was, but she (barely) resisted. Forget protecting her from the Earth environment – she would have to protect her from being stepped on!

Not to mention, she looked nervous. Pathetic. Did she really have to watch this twerp the entire ride?

  ------------------------------------

She. Was. Huge.

Okay, Peridot, take your jaw off the floor. With barely disguised fear, she sucked in a breath, happy to hide her arms behind her back to cover her shaking fingers. “P-Peridot,” she started, “Facet-“

“I know what your facet is,” the Jasper growled, making Peridot jump, “And I know you’re my navigator.” The orange giant in front of her took one hulking step forward, fists clenched into mountains balls of power, eyes narrowed like the force of one very glare could crush Peridot into fragments – and it probably could. “What, you aren’t . . . nervous, are you?” A cruel, fanged smirk glinted across her face.

“I’m not nervous,” Peridot replied. She was terrified. “In fact, I’ve prepared for this mission approximately thirteen weeks, four days, and twenty seven-“

“You all talk so much,” Jasper cut in, turning to stare out the window. Her massive figure stood tall and proud, arms held behind her back, “I didn’t request a chatterbox – I requested a guide. Are you challenging that thought?”

“No, no!” Peridot said too quickly, waving her hands. God, she wasn’t making a good first impression at /all/, “I was simply trying to explain to you that I-“

“Shut UP!” Jasper roared, seizing Peridot by the collar. She hoisted her high, snarling, gem glinting dangerously in the overly bright light of the office, “You are the navigator, and I am the escort. And, if you don’t shut your green little trap, I will escort you straight into gem dust. Am. I. Clear?”

\------------------------------------ 

Hopefully, that was enough to make it clear to the brat that Jasper was the one in charge. She made sure to give her most imposing stare to the smaller gem, tilting her chin to show dominance in the situation. Thick fingers squeezed tighter to the fused clothing, curling tighter into the fabric. 

But the Peridot’s expression was . . . unreadable. Where she had expected to see fear, shock, at least discomfort, she saw only blankness, a wide-eyed sort of stare that was impossible to read. Jasper didn’t like not being able to understand something – especially something as tiny as her.

Finally, it shifted into anger. It was strange, seeing anger on such a small face, especially anger directed at her. The Peridot tightened her jaw, and then Jasper saw it – that sneer, that little curl of her lip, a feral expression on such a professional face.

“Crystal.”

\------------------------------------ 

Jasper dropped Peridot immediately with an unreadable expression. Peridot dusted herself off and straightened, puffing out her chest, though internally she was screaming. Did she just make a rebellious threat at a Jasper? Did she just DO that? What was WRONG with her?

The Yellow Pearl watching this encounter from behind her desk looked just about ready to faint. Peridot, still maintaining a façade of confidence, strolled up, squaring her shoulders. Where was this persona coming from? She couldn’t remember being that . . . angry, before. Yes, she WAS great and lovable, so some form of amazingness was expected from her, but not . . . that much.

“I believe I requested an informant.”


	2. The Trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What will Lapis do to escape Homeworld's clutches? What is Jasper's attachment to what should be a simple Earth mission? Will Peridot EVER be able to fly the ship?

This was a mistake.

Lapis Lazuli, fuckup extraordinaire, gave one more halfhearted tug at her restraints. As expected, her shackles buzzed threateningly, and if electricity could laugh, she was sure that’s what it was doing right this moment. Figured – water and sparks never were meant to mix.

She wouldn’t waste time in the cliché, “How did I get here?” or “What did I do wrong?”. After all, Lapis knew perfectly well what she did wrong – that was, everything. She shouldn’t have come back to Homeworld, shouldn’t have been so unbelievably STUPID as to think she’d be welcomed back with open arms. After all, they never even liked her when she was SUPPOSED to be there! Did she NEVER learn her lesson?

The shackles said apparently not.

It really did make sense that she didn’t belong here anymore; no proper Homeworld gem would be spending their captivity not worried about themselves, but about someone else – a human, at that. Oh, Steven . . . she hoped he was alright. Humans, after all, were so soft and fragile and breakable. What if he tripped or fell over a rock? Oh no, what if one of those terrifying renegade gems turned on him? 

Okay, she was just scaring herself, now.

At least she’d sent that message, right? That would give them some time to prepare, though not nearly enough. 

Her head shot up as she heard a muffled, nasally tone from outside the energized cell. Blue curls, green in the mixed lighting, bounced as she whipped her head. Lapis leaned further over her hunched position, dangerous glare picking out the petite form of one angular gem – a Peridot, it seemed – and the hulking mass of one more . . . a Jasper.

Pillars of fear struck her heart. Lapis was careful to keep her expression neutral. She hardly payed any attention to the babbling of the smaller gem – no, her stare was focused entirely on the warrior gem, body tense. Something felt . . . wrong, about her. That look, in her eyes . . . no gem should have that, no matter how vicious. She wasn’t even DOING anything, yet Lapis felt the need to squirm under that piercing gaze, to curl into herself and forget she ever left that mirror.

\------------------------------------

Honestly, was she even listening to her? Peridot frowned, arms crossed patiently across her diamond-patterned chest. 

“As I was saying,” Peridot continued, “You should feel honored, Lazuli, that I’ve chosen you as my precious informant. After all, it isn’t every day a gem of your . . . reputation, receives such a brilliant and illustrious opportunity.” A slow grin spread across her cheeks, only to drop within a second – the Lazuli still wasn’t looking at her.

“Ah-hem,” Peridot growled, eyes narrowed, “Deepest apologies, Lazuli, but is there something more INTERESTING than I, the talented and charismatic Peridot?”

It seemed the blue gem finally noticed her existence, looking away from her staring point over Peridot’s shoulder. The Lazuli eyed her over with a strange, almost predatory glare, shoulders hunched and hair nearly covering all of her eyes. That was one thing that had always unsettled Peridot – blue gems had that, that eye thing. It was just weird, if you asked her. And of course you should ask her, she was Peridot!

“ . . . What, exactly, do you want with me?” she asked, quiet as a mouse and yet ten times more threatening. Peridot gave a nervous gulp, tugged at her collar, and then cleared her throat.

“If you had bothered to listen to your superior before,” she started, one hand extended for emphasis, “Then you might have gathered that you’re my informant. After all, Earth is a savage, dangerous, and incredibly volatile planet, but you do have the most recent experience with it, despite your . . . traitorous, tendencies.” Peridot rolled her eyes, waving her fingers dismissively. They floated about, illustrating her apathy and annoyance towards the matter. “But fear not, Lazuli, because act right, and this is your shot at true, beautiful Homeworld redemption – the chance is yours, should you choose to accept.”

“ . . . You still haven’t answered my question.” The Lazuli pressed dangerously close to the energized shield, with a movement so sudden that Peridot jumped behind Jasper for support, “What. Am I. Supposed. To do.”

“Eheheh . . . “ Peridot chuckled nervously, adjusting her collar. Yeah, okay, set an example, Peridot. You’re supposed to be the fierce one, the small but strong leader that commands her presence no matter where she is-

“You’re telling us where the rebels are,” Jasper rasped, tone rumbling more than an Earth thunderstorm. Peridot felt a tremor in her chest, and though she tried to speak out, all she got were squeaks.

\------------------------------------

Jasper locked eyes with the Lazuli, and she swore, she felt more power from that frail looking gem than she had felt from her other Quartz-rank comrades. What was she?

“You’re telling us where the rebels are,” she said to the Lazuli, folding her massive arms across her equally massive chest, “And you’re clarifying their threat to this mission. How dangerous are they? What do we need to prepare for?” A slow, cruel, animalistic grin spread along her face, “I’ve heard the leader of the rebels, Rose Quartz, is still active on Earth – tell me, is she there, Lazuli?”

The Lazuli stared her over, then looked away silently. Jasper growled impatiently and retrieved her gem destabilizer, shutting off the energy wall and yanking the blue gem through the threshold. The destabilizer, crackling dangerously with malice, buzzed just underneath the Lazuli’s chin, shaking with the force behind it. The Lazuli now had that delicious spice of fear in her eyes, though she was smart enough not to struggle with that threat looming mere inches from her neck.

“I’ll repeat myself,” Jasper growled, snarling, “Is. Rose. Quartz. There.”

For a few more moments, Lapis Lazuli stared in pained decisiveness, then looked down. “Yes,” she said, “But you can’t fight her, because she-“

“Finally!” Jasper dropped her unceremoniously, her grin now no longer animalistic, instead downright feral, “This is what I’ve been waiting for, a glorious rematch between two REAL warriors of the old Homeworld glory . . . we’re departing immediately. You, small Peridot,” Jasper jutted her thick finger to the shaking tech gem, “Ready the Lazuli for departure. Half an hour, then we’re shipping off.”

But the Peridot was hesitating.

\------------------------------------

Oh god, that was too much.

Peridot, shaking in Jasper’s glare, didn’t know if she could fix her shifting goggles, much less actually shackle a prisoner. What had she just SEEN? This Jasper was far more brutish and terrifying than the others she had encountered – sure, they were all naturally a vicious bunch, she knew that, but this one . . . 

And she had to be on a ship with her?

“Is something the matter, Peridot?” Jasper asked. Somehow, she had a feeling it wasn’t out of consideration. “Don’t tell your escort that you’re . . . hesitating, are you?”

“No!” Peridot replied immediately, waving her hands. She crouched and snatched the handcuffs from the wall and immediately clamped them to the Lazuli, yanking her up, “Of course not. I was just . . . marveling, at your . . . “ she cleared her throat, “Strength.”

Jasper paused for a moment, then smirked. “Heh, of course you were. You’re not the first.” And with a flourish of her cape, she marched out, squared shoulders and high chin.

Peridot, not wanting to meet the other end of that destabilizer, yanked the Lazuli behind her and followed suit, pushing through the doors once more.

\------------------------------------

Ah, this was her home.

Amongst the beautiful, glowing greens and yellows of control panels and warp controls, the shimmering viewport to the rest of the galaxy, all the little gadgets and gizmos specifically calibrated to her every want and need . . . Peridot couldn’t ever remember feeling a greater comfort. She inhaled, exhaled, then placed herself at the control pad . . . and got to work.

“Peridot, why are we not MOVING yet?”

Sort of.

“Jasper . . . “ Peridot muttered, turning around, “I have to run a system check over the ship, and then smooth over any pre-launch bugs and then sync the-“

“That’s all irrelevant to me,” Jasper waved her hand, “Just do what you Peridots do to get in the air. And do it QUICKLY.”

“Right . . . “ Peridot grumbled, a barely disguised sneer on her lips. She turned, placed one finger to the first of the calibration buttons, and-

“Are we moving yet?”

“NO, WE’RE STILL HERE!”

This was going to be a very long mission.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave me a review so I know if there's anything I need to improve, and if anyone wants me to continue at all!


End file.
